BC-AP Sports Digest

July 9, 2018

BC-AP Sports Digest,1462

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“PodcastOne Sports Now” co-hosts Jim Litke and Tim Dahlberg pay their respects to the late Jim O’Connell, a giant of college basketball. They then talk World Cup with Roger Bennett, host of “Men in Blazers”

Mike Trout, Aaron Judge and Mookie Betts form a dream outfield for the American League. Bryce Harper and Max Scherzer make up a not-so-gracious welcome committee for the NL. Power in the center of power. A capital-sized All-Star Game. Baseball unveiled the rosters for its midsummer showcase Sunday night, featuring an imposing AL lineup and Harper starting at his home ballpark in Washington. By Jay Cohen. SENT: 950 words, photos.

TEN--WIMBLEDON

LONDON — Roger Federer, Rafafel Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are all in action — as is every other player still in the singles draws at Wimbledon, where all round-of-16 matches are on Monday’s schedule to begin Week 2. By Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich. UPCOMING: 750 words, photos. Play begins at 6:30 a.m. EDT.

GLF--LPGA TOUR

ONEIDA, Wis. — Sei Young Kim became the first player in LPGA Tour history to go lower than 30 under in a performance so dominant in the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic that she now has the tour scoring records all to herself. Kim closed with a 7-under 65 on Sunday for a nine-shot victory, finishing at 31-under 257 to break by four shots to par the record Kim had shared with Annika Sorenstam. By Bill Huber. SENT: 425 words, photos.

CAR--ARCA-GIRL POWER

NEWTON, Iowa — Stock car racing team Venturini Motorsports has had a tradition of employing women that stretches back for decades. On June 29, the ARCA outfit made history — starting three female drivers in the same race for the first time in the modern era of the sport. By Luke Meredith. UPCOMING: 610 words, photos.

WORLD CUP

SOC--WCUP-FRANCE-BELGIUM

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia — Considering the attacking might of both sides, a goal-fest looks possible when France and Belgium meet Tuesday in the World Cup semifinals. By Jerome Pugmire. SENT: 875 words, photos.

SOC--WCUP-SPAIN-HIERRO OUT

MADRID — Fernando Hierro is out as coach of Spain’s national team after less than a month in charge and a disappointing four-game run at the World Cup. SENT: 500 words, photos.

SOC--WCUP-FIFA DISCIPLINE

MOSCOW — The World Cup rulings in FIFA’s disciplinary court have not always been easy to comprehend. Sweden was slugged 70,000 Swiss francs ($70,700) for players wearing non-approved socks, and Croatia was hit with the same monetary penalty when a player took a non-sponsor’s drink onto the field. Yet a Russia fan’s neo-Nazi banner and a Serbian World War Two-era nationalist symbol waved inside venue drew only 10,000 Swiss francs ($10,100) fines, paid by their national soccer bodies which are responsible for fan misconduct at games. By Graham Dunbar/ SENT: 850 words, photos.

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — Kevin Na rode a hot putter to halt a winless streak of nearly seven years on the PGA Tour. Na shot a 6-under-64 for a five-stroke victory at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier on Sunday. The 34-year-old Na’s only previous tour win came in Las Vegas in October 2011. By John Raby. SENT: 540 words, photos.

WITH:

— GLF--GREENBRIER-MICKELSON-RULES VIOLATION. SENT: 125 words.

— Also:

— GLF--IRISH OPEN. SENT: 285 words, photos.

BASEBALL

BBO--THIS WEEK IN BASEBALL

Thirty years ago, the Baltimore Orioles started the season 0-21, assuring themselves a place among baseball’s biggest laughingstocks. This season’s Orioles may turn out to be even worse. By Baseball Writer Noah Trister. UPCOMING: 600 words, photos by 3 a.m.

BBO--LEADING OFF

A look at what’s happening around the majors Monday, including the Boston Red Sox coming off a 7-2 road trip against the New York Yankees, Washington Nationals and Kansas City Royals, and returning home for a seven-game homestand leading into the All-Star break, beginning with a series against the Texas Rangers. UPCOMING: 200 words, photos by 3 a.m.

BBA--ROYALS-JAPANESE PITCHER

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kaito Yuki is headed to the Kansas City Royals organization instead of attending high school in Japan. The team signed Yuki, a 16-year-old pitcher, out of junior high to a standard seven-year minor league contract Sunday. He is thought to be the first Japanese junior high school player to sign with a major league club. SENT: 500 words, photos.

— Also:

— BBO--RANGERS-GIANTS TRADE. SENT: 175 words, photos.

BASKETBALL

BKN--TYLER HONEYCUTT DEATH

LOS ANGELES — A former coach and family friend of onetime Sacramento Kings and UCLA basketball player Tyler Honeycutt says he had grown increasingly concerned about the young man before he was found dead following a standoff with Los Angeles police. Bort Escoto, who coached Honeycutt in high school, told the Los Angeles Times that Honeycutt’s mother called him early Saturday to say her son had killed himself. Escoto told the Los Angeles Daily News that Honeycutt had “been going through some things.” SENT: 330 words, photos.

BKN--SUMMER LEAGUE RDP

LAS VEGAS — Lonnie Walker IV had 14 points in the San Antonio Spurs’ 95-90 win over the Washington Wizards on Sunday, Day 3 of the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, where there was another 10-game slate as the teams progress toward the start of playoffs later this week. By Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds. SENT: 900 words, photos.

LONDON — When Serena Williams steps out on Centre Court to play Evgeniya Rodina in Wimbledon’s fourth round on Monday, it will be a rare meeting of Mom vs. Mom. Such matchups could happen with greater frequency as parenthood becomes increasingly popular on the women’s tennis tour. By Tennis Writer Howard Fendrich. SENT: 850 words, photos.

WITH:

— TEN--WIMBLEDON GLANCE. SENT: 500 words.

AUTO RACING

CAR--NASCAR-SECOND HALF

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — NASCAR has dominated this season by The Big 3. Can anyone catch Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick in the second half of the season? By Dan Gelston. SENT: 950 words.

CAR--INDYCAR-IOWA

NEWTON, Iowa — Less than two months after failing to qualify for the Indianapolis 500, James Hinchcliffe roared from behind to seize one of the more satisfying victories of his IndyCar career. Hinchcliffe passed Josef Newgarden with just over 40 laps left to win at the Iowa Speedway on Sunday, his first victory of the season. By Luke Meredith. SENT: 550 words, photos.

Also:

— CAR--F1-BRITISH GP. By Ciaran Fahey. SENT: 860 words, photos.

TOUR DE FRANCE

CYC--TOUR DE FRANCE

LA ROCHE-SUR-YON, France — World champion Peter Sagan won a sprint finish to claim the second stage of the Tour de France and the race’s overall lead. By Joseph Wilson. SENT: 700 words, photos.

LAS VEGAS — Honoring the man who paved the way for dozens of daredevils, Travis Pastrana succeeded in triplicating three of Evel Knievel’s iconic motorcycle jumps Sunday night. Donning his own Knievel-like costume, Pastrana used an Indian Scout FTR750 to jump 143 feet to clear 52 crushed cars, 192 feet over 16 Greyhound buses and concluded the “Evel Live” event on the History Channel by jumping 149 feet to clear the fountains at Caesars Palace. By W.G. Ramirez. SENT: 500 words, photos.